Improvement in bee-hives



altres/Inra figment @filza N may IMPRQVEMENT IN BEE-RIVES.

The Schedule referred to in these' Lettera Patent and making parl: ofthe um h--wO-O-O* To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMES D. MEADOR, of Independence, in the countyofJacksou, and State of Missouri, have made certain new andusefulImprovements in Bee-Hives; and I do hereby declare that the followingis` a full and clear description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention is in the division of the hive into sections,and in arranging each' section so that the same may be used in the case,or not, as found advantageous.

The saidv nature of my invention is 'furthermore in certain detailconstruction of each section-hive, as willhereinafter more fully appear.

To enable those skilled herein to make and use my improved bee-hive, Iwill now describe the same in its instruction and use, referring hereinto the drawings, of whichi Figure 1 is a general perspective of' thehive-case as closed;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation, showing the position of twosection-hives within the case;

Figure 3 is a top plan, showing the section when the ci' the parta-asA', and then the part A is placed against the part A', resting upon ,a-

'The hive-entrance is cut at B, equallyz each side of the verticaldividing-line of A and A', the walls of A and A' being out down to thelintel-piecc al, and the aperture being continued the necessary heightabove the floor of the-hive.

The interior of the partsA and A is similarly i formed, being subdividedby the vpartition-wall a2 and by narrow transverse strips a?, reachingfrom a? to the side walls of A and A.'

In the top of each seetion,'at the edge farthest from the entrance B, Iairangepassages F, from the hive -to the honey-box, for breathing-holes.

Similarly I construct a" section-hive of more thanV two sections,(indicated by fig. 6,) uniting the several parts C 0l C? by the hooks c.

vswarm to its own hive.

The entrance to the hive may be placed at D in the central'section, andpassages from the hive to the honeybox, for ventilation, diagonallyopposite, at D'. l

Each of said sections O (J1-O2 (which may be from two to nine in number)is arranged with a cross-bar, c, s'et diamonding in the frame, as shownin figs. 7 and 8.

By my said arrangement of the sectional hive, I can,y at the propertime, divide an old' colony of bees and swarm a. new section, at thesame time equitably dividing the honey-store of the old and new hives.

To dothis, I place to each one ofthe sections of an old hive7 a sectionor sections of a new one, and thus form two or more new-colonies, eachin a separate hive, out of the old stock. v

Inorder that the hive may be the bettenprotected rtgainst heat andfrost, I arrange the section-hives, before described in an outer4 hive,or case'E, shown' generally in fig. 1.

The eect of thus enclosing the inner hives, or honeyboxes, by an outercasing, will be to make the hive so warm in early spring as to enablethe bees to rear their young, and byv closing the holes' in the outercasing, the air within will be -stagnated, and act as a non-conductor,thus keeping the interior of the honeyboxes at an even temperature.

When the sun is very hot, the ventilation-holes may be opened, and afree circulation will .thereby be produced, and the temperature insidethe hive reduced.

The exterior sides ofthe case E will he ornamented by different colors,corresponding to the number and position of the interior hives, therebyguiding each Then the general entrance e into the case -Ewill be inclose communication with the entrance to eachl hive within the case.

The ventilation-holes e', I bar with wire gauze, 'or similar material,toprevent ingress of moth,1ies, and similar animals, or insects.

The casin g E is arranged with a lid which can easily be opened toinspect or remove the hives within the case. v

Having thus fully described my'said invention,

What I claim, is-- -Ornamenting the exterior case in distinct shades ofcolor to indicate the interior subdivision into sectionhives A A', eachhaving its' own entrance, 'as shown by. B; andits ownVentilating-aperture F, substantially as set forth.`

JAS. D. MEADOR.

Witnesses:

H. S. Mnsnon, L. F. Marmora.

